=over

=item time
X<time> X<epoch>

Returns the number of non-leap seconds since whatever time the system
considers to be the epoch, suitable for feeding to
L<C<gmtime>|/gmtime EXPR> and L<C<localtime>|/localtime EXPR>.  On most
systems the epoch is 00:00:00 UTC, January 1, 1970;
a prominent exception being Mac OS Classic which uses 00:00:00, January 1,
1904 in the current local time zone for its epoch.

For measuring time in better granularity than one second, use the
L<Time::HiRes> module from Perl 5.8 onwards (or from CPAN before then), or,
if you have L<gettimeofday(2)>, you may be able to use the
L<C<syscall>|/syscall NUMBER, LIST> interface of Perl.  See L<perlfaq8>
for details.

For date and time processing look at the many related modules on CPAN.
For a comprehensive date and time representation look at the
L<DateTime> module.

=back